Clearwater Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements Lawyer
Prenuptial Versus Postnuptial Agreement
A prenuptial agreement is a document that is signed before the marriage that lays out specifics about the couple’s financial affairs in the event of a divorce or death. A postnuptial agreement accomplishes the same thing, except that it is created after the marriage has already happened. While the conditions for marriage may be that a prenuptial agreement is signed, neither party can force the other to sign a postnuptial agreement. If you are about to get married, consider a prenuptial agreement to protect your assets or protect your spouse from your crippling debt. If you are already married, a postnuptial agreement will accomplish this task.
Reasons for a Prenuptial or Postnuptial Agreement
- Large Inheritance: One or both parties is expected to receive a large inheritance that should be kept separate from marital property;
- Debt Protection: The average household with any credit card debt has nearly $16,000 of debt, according to Nerdwallet. You can protect your spouse (or vice versa) from your debt by entering into a prenuptial agreement, which will help one of your credit scores and ability to get a loan or mortgage;
- Children From a Prior Relationship: If you have children from another marriage, you may want to consider signing a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, because if you were to die, your property would go to your spouse, not your children. While you love your current spouse, your children may be in more need of financial stability in the event that you pass on;
- You Plan to Quit Your Job: Women who worked before, during, or after their marriage have a 20 percent decrease in income after divorce, while male incomes rise by 30 percent post-divorce, according to The Atlantic. The truth is that men fare much better in most divorces, which has much to do with who spent more time and effort raising the children (typically the mothers). When one spouse, usually the wife, makes the sacrifice to quit a high paying job in order to take care of the children, they may benefit from signing a postnuptial or prenuptial agreement to protect their earned assets in the event of a divorce. While Florida is an equitable distribution state for divorce, mothers who raised the children are given less than 50 percent of the marital property.
Call a Clearwater Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreement Lawyer Today
Clarity and security in a marriage go a long way towards building a strong relationship, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements can both accomplish this. There are many different reasons for signing a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, and the traditional reason (to protect the wealthy party’s assets from a “golddigger”) that gets touted in movies and the media is not always the case. Whether you want to protect your loved one from your debt or ensure that your children from another marriage are left behind with your property when you pass away, a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement may be right for you. A Clearwater family attorney can help you decide what is in your and your marriage’s best interests, and the lawyers of Cairns Law, P.A. are here to help you get started today at 727-683-1472.
